	Light Curtain

Three Key Points for Protection Against Mechanical Hazards

1. Intrinsically Safe Design

First, it is necessary to design machinery so that the production will be free of risk sources. Simple examples are machines designed to be free of sharp edges and isolation of users from risk sources. What is important here is risk assessment. By carrying out risk assessment, mechanical hazards are eliminated one by one by considering the hazardous nature and frequency of occurrence.

2. Reduction of Risk by Safety Measures

If the design leaves the possibility of user access to a risk source, safety measures are necessary. A typical measure is to detect when a user enters a dangerous part of a device with a safety light curtain and to turn off the power to the hazardous device in order to prevent danger. Naturally, risk assessment is necessary for safety measures and limitations are imposed on the types of countermeasures and equipment to be used depending on the hazardous nature and frequency of occurrence.

3. Management of Safety and Health

Producing safe machines based on the "intrinsically safe design" and "safety measures" is not sufficient. The safety of all machines with safety features will deteriorate the longer they are used due to degradation of components or loosening of assembly, etc.
Therefore, it is important to conduct regular inspections. It is necessary to decide management methods which can detect serious defects which can cause deterioration of safety at an early stage by inspection and carry it out thoroughly.Also, factory managers and other managers need to constantly enhance awareness towards safety and health and instruct machine operators to use machines correctly.
Although management of safety and health is often neglected, protection against mechanical hazards can be only realized when safety and health is managed.

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